Friday, May 11, 2012

Lavender – Is it a color, a scent, a flavor or medicine? (Part 1)

Just the
mention of the word lavender conjures up so much . . . it’s beautiful to
behold, has a scent that will instantly transport you to a place of tranquility
and calmness, the color simply begs you to have a connection to the Divine and
it’s delicate flavor turns ordinary lemon sorbet from a pleasant but rather
ordinary dessert into a heady dessert experience!

But
that’s only the beginning when it comes to this exquisite flowering herb . . .

It may
have originated in the Mediterranean, but now you will find fields of lavender
growing worldwide.In fact there
are now more than 200 different varieties and 28 species of lavender. Some
varieties have been hybridized for strictly ornamental purposes but the species
Lavandula angustifolia, and Lavandula officinalis are the mainstay for medicinal and culinary
purposes.The wonderful thing
about lavender is that all parts of the plant impart that heady aroma – the
leaves, the seeds and the flowers.But the oil derived from the flowers offers the most important medicinal
component.

You may not know that a single bottle of lavender
oil can treat symptoms that range from insomnia and depression to
pharmaceutical resistant fungal strains!

Most diseases, syndromes and maladies, are
complicated and encompass many different, seemingly unrelated symptoms.For example, while Fibromyalgia
Syndrome is generally associated with pain, but that pain may also be accompanied
by insomnia, anxiety, depression, tension, soreness, muscle spasms and an
autoimmune disease or two!

That’s where herbs like lavender offer so
much.Unlike pharmaceutical drugs
prescribed to deal with pain or anxiety or depression, lavender, like many
herbs, contains several different components that are useful in treating many different
symptoms or aspects of ailments. The four most powerful are:

Aldehydes are chemical constituents that serve two purposes.They are responsible for the distinct and soothing aroma of lavender. But in chemistry they are considered reducing agents, which in layman’s terms we would associate with antioxidant properties. One of its purposes is to keep the naturally occurring alcohol Linalool from oxidizing

Linalool is a naturally occurring alcohol that is both antiseptic and antimicrobial. This natural bacteria and virus killing component composes approximately 50% of the lavender oil and makes it an excellent candidate for general cleaning as well as treating skin irritations, burns, sunburns, cuts, scrapes, wounds and even acne.

The ketones in lavender oil are the anti-inflammatory agents. They are also associated with pain reduction and the ability to induce sleep.

The esters in lavender oil are the constituent of lavender that relieves tension, depression, hysteria and are considered mood stabilizers. They are a form of natural steroids, making them effective at treating swelling, pain and soreness. But they are also extremely effective in treating fungus from ringworm and athlete’s foot to the super strains that are resistant to drugs.

A team
of researchers from the University of Coimbra in Portugal recently published an
article in the Journal of Medical Microbiology where they demonstrated the
effectiveness of lavender oil against a wide range of pathogenic fungi and
found it to be more effective than anti-fungal pharmaceutical drugs.Here is an overview with a few excerpts:

The oil was tested against a range of
pathogenic fungi and was found to be lethal to a range of skin-pathogenic
strains, known as dermatophytes, as well as various species of Candida.

Dermatophytes cause infections of the
skin, hair and nails as they use the keratin within these tissues to obtain
nutrients. They are responsible for fungal infections like athlete’s foot,
ringworm and can also lead to scalp and nail infections.

Candida species naturally exist in
the colon and on the skin, and generally do not affect healthy individuals but when
they over populate a system they can create a throat infections known as thrush
and in immuno-compromised patients, Candida species are able to cause serious
infections if the fungal cells escape into the blood stream.

Currently, there are relatively few
types of antifungal drugs that are effective and they often have considerable
side effects. Professor Ligia Salgueiro and Professor Eugenia Pinto, who led
this study, explained why novel fungicides are urgently needed.

"In the last few years there has been an increase in the
incidence of fungal diseases, particularly among immuno-compromised
patients. Unfortunately there is
also increasing resistance to antifungal drugs. Research by our group and
others has shown that essential oils may be cheap efficient alternatives that
have minimal side effects . . . Lavandula oil shows wide-spectrum antifungal
activity and is highly potent. This is a good starting point for developing
this oil for clinical use to manage fungal infections. " ~Professor Ligia
Salgueiro

Since
there are so many uses for lavender in so many different areas of your daily
life, I thought it might be helpful to list a few of my favorites . . .

Everyday
Medicinal Uses for Lavender Oil, Flowers and Leaves

1. Dab a bit of lavender oil on your
wrists, temples and sternum – this instantly reduces both stress and
anxiety.

2. Rub a drop or two on your temples
to relieve a tension headache.

3. Fill a small pillow with lavender
flowers and place over your eyes when you need a little rest.

4. Spray lavender water (click here
for instructions to make your own) and spray on your pillow and sheets to
ensure a restful night’s sleep.

5. Fill sachets with lavender flowers
and leaves to tuck into your linen closet.This will keep your linens fresh for months.When hung from your hangers they help
repel moths.

6. Plant a row of lavender around your
outdoor clothesline so your clothes and linens smell fresh and relaxing.

7. Add a tablespoon of oil to a gallon
of laundry detergent to deliver strong antimicrobials to your dirtiest and
smelliest of loads.

8. Replace drier sheets with a small
sachet of leaves and flowers to your clothes drier for a long lasting fresh
fragrance.

3 comments:

This is a great post! I love my lavender plants and have used the stems of dried flowers for room fragrance and decorative effect. On my next Mountain Rose Herbs order I am getting some essential lavender oil.I have much catching up to do on your blog but I am leaving again for a week so will be even more behind! One Wednesday I hope to catch your radio show live too! Thanks Dr. P!

Great stuff Peggy! Who doesn't love Lavender, right? This is where I get my therapeutic grade oils because this company truly cares about the plant kingdom and how we coexist. http://floracopeia.com/store/#a_aid=4f357802d4169